Tonight or Tomorrow
by cassiemortmain
Summary: An M-rated collection of Sybil x Tom stories with different themes and time periods but with one thing in common - they all celebrate the sexiest couple on Downton Abbey. ;) New story to celebrate St Patrick's Day - Modern AU - Sybil goes to a gig in London and sparks fly when she meets a good looking Irishman...
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note_

This new S/T M-rated fic (which was based on a drabble I wrote a while ago) was written in part to mark Australia Day on 26 January, and also to share some warmth with my shivering friends suffering through a very cold winter in the northern hemisphere. Our lovely couple are living in Sydney and are about to embark on a day of shopping at the post-Christmas sales...

* * *

**Long hot summer**

Sybil lay back in the tangled sheets, her breathing slowly returning to normal. She and Tom were face to face, their naked bodies close together as they shared in the afterglow of their loving. His arm rested around her waist under her body, while his other hand and mouth moved lazily across her skin, which was glowing with the sheen of the summer morning.

She sighed, looking at the clock, and stretched like a contented cat in his arms. "Come on darling, we need to get up and start the day. We've got things we need to do."

"Mmmmm," he mumbled, his mouth on her breast, his hand running down her ribs and gently tickling her side, making her giggle and squirm. "Do we have to?"

"We have to go back to work again next week and you need some shirts. I need a new suit, too."

He leaned up on one elbow and kissed her, before slowly getting out of bed and following her towards the kitchen. They had been married for a few months now, after a romance lasting only three weeks, and he still couldn't believe how lucky he was, to be able to wake up next to her every day...

* * *

Tom followed Sybil onto the escalator, grimacing as someone trod on his toe. The post-Christmas sales at David Jones were always crammed with people and this year was no exception.

She walked ahead of him to the rack. "Look, here are a few nice ones - what do you think?"

He grabbed a handful of shirts - they all looked the same to him - and headed to the change room. She sat down on the chair outside, listening to the music piping through the speakers, and recognised an old song from years ago -

_"Don't matter what I do_  
_Don't matter what I do_  
_Don't matter what I do_  
_'cause I end up hurting you"_

She heard Tom's voice, calling out to her. She looked around to see if there were any busybody salespeople around to stop her going into the men's changing room, then went through the door, whispering -

"Tom, where are you?"

He opened his door a little and waved her in.

"I can't choose, what do you think, love?"

Sybil's eyes opened wide as he casually undid the buttons on the shirt he was wearing and shrugged it off, the sight of his muscular arms and chest setting her heart racing. She couldn't help letting out a little gasp of longing -

"Sybil, don't even think about it. We're already on a warning after last time! Oh hell, twist my arm, come here..."

He pulled her over to him, wrapping his arm around her waist and sliding his fingers into her tousled hair, twisted up on top of her head against the heat. She looked up at him with that look through her eyelashes she knew always drove him crazy -

"Well, if you insist…"

Their mouths met in a kiss and she found herself moaning against his lips as his tongue found hers. She let one hand rest on his chest over his heart, while the other one ran slowly up his bicep before sliding behind his neck. His fingers slid inside her shirt and under her bra, playing with her nipple as he kissed her deeply, his other arm pulling her close to his body...

"Hem, hem!"

They broke apart with guilty expressions on their faces. _Bollocks, it's the same guy! Hope he doesn't remember us!_

"I hope I don't need to remind you this is a public place, with children outside! Please get dressed and leave, immediately. I don't want to have to involve the police."

Tom quickly put on his shirt and, hand in hand, he and Sybil fled the scene. It wasn't until they were back on the escalator that they turned to each other and laughed -

"Sybil, just wait till I get you home."

His eyes flashed at her and she gave him a cheeky grin as they walked off the escalator.

"Next stop, QVB!"

* * *

They made their way through the crowds and into the historic building. After they stopped for a quick lunch, Sybil led him along the ground floor and turned into David Lawrence, a shop she often visited for workwear. She browsed the racks expertly, finding a few things she liked and slinging them over her arm. A salesperson led her to the changing room and closed the door as Tom settled into the "husband" chair.

"Sybil, how are you getting on in there?"

"Be patient Tom - I think you will like it!"

She pushed the curtain aside and came out in a slim fitting grey suit, with a single button jacket and pencil skirt that hugged her curves in all the right places.

He felt his jaw sagging as she twirled around to give him the 360 degree view - _Her arse in that skirt! Oh my GOD!_ Suddenly he felt his trousers getting too tight and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. She looked into his face and fluttered her eyelashes at him -

"Oh, don't you like it?" Her wink showed him she could see exactly what was going on.

"Sybil, for fuck's sake - I've got to get you out of that skirt right now," he muttered, unable to hide the raging desire sweeping over him as he looked at his wife.

She had a brainwave - "Well, we are in the Queen Victoria Building. They have a ladies room up on the third floor with really big cubicles..." She bit her lip and pretended to look coy - if it was possible, he wanted her even more after that.

"Give the lady your credit card and let's get out of here, Mrs Branson!"

"Your wish is my command, Mr Branson."

She changed quickly and, once they had paid for the suit, they ran to the escalator...

* * *

Sybil had a quick look inside - amazingly, the bathroom was empty and there was one door unlocked on the far side.

"Come on, quick, the coast is clear." She beckoned Tom in with a "come here" gesture.

They crept inside the vacant cubicle and closed and locked the door, then turned to look at each other. Their bodies moved as one, coming together in a rush of heat that challenged the baking sun outside. His mouth fell on hers in a searing kiss, ravaging her as he tore off her shirt. She pulled his t-shirt out of his jeans, lifting it over his head as he undid her bra and dropped it in the floor, her skirt and knickers quickly following it.

He grabbed her and lifted her, pushing her naked body against the wall, her sandals falling off her feet as she wrapped her legs around his body. She could feel his arousal pushing hard against her thigh and she whispered in his ear, urging him on.

"Tom, please, fuck me, I need you to fuck me so hard..."

He fumbled to undo his fly, jeans falling to his knees, and freed his cock, already erect and aching for her. He tore open a condom with his teeth and rolled it on, before pushing into her, up to the hilt, filling her completely.

For a moment, they stayed still, staring into each other's eyes, her arms sliding around his neck. Then, eyes still locked on hers, he started to thrust, slowly at first, getting into a rhythm with her as she found her balance against the cold tiles. One hand grabbed her arse while the other was braced against the wall. A deep groan escaped him as they started to move together and she shook her head -

"Tom, shhh, we'll be caught."

Sybil shifted herself to a position where, each time he drove into her, his cock rubbed against her swollen clit, building up an almost unbearable friction almost immediately. She let out a gasp and closed her eyes, biting her lip and tightening her hold on him. She was lost in their shared world of desire and longing, forgetting where she was, forgetting everything but the taste of his lips, the feel of his skin, the blue of his eyes. He murmured to her of how much he loved her, how beautiful she was, how he could never get enough of her...

Tom needed to touch more of her so he braced himself with one leg against the wall before lifting his hand to put it to her cheek. He let his fingers trail slowly down to her throat, running along her collarbone, grazing the side of her breast, following the curve of her waist. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his, kissing her closed eyes before he began to move faster, pushing harder into her.

She began to shiver in his arms and, as she broke apart, she opened her mouth to scream. He was on the verge of orgasm too but he was still enough in possession of himself to remember where they were, and leaned in to capture her mouth with his just as the scream escaped her lips, a sound that rose up from deep inside her, a place she had only ever touched with him.

Her core convulsed around him over and over, and he couldn't hold on any more, coming so hard his knees trembled and he struggled to hold them both up. Her head fell onto his shoulder, her arms and legs locked around him, holding him inside her for a few more moments before he gently lifted her down and found her lips with his. Their hearts were still racing in time as they held each other close...

After a few minutes, Tom lifted his mouth reluctantly from hers and stepped back, tugging off the condom and pulling his jeans back up. Sybil slowly opened her eyes and smiled, flashing him a grin and a hip tilt before leaning down to grab her underwear and starting to get dressed. As she went to fasten her shirt, she saw that half the buttons had been ripped away.

Once they were both dressed after a fashion, he picked up her shopping bags and they opened the door, only to find several curious women waiting outside, clearly only too aware of what they had been doing in there. A uniformed guard stepped forward - _Oh fuck, not again! Twice in one day!_

"Come on darling, let's go."

Sybil boldly took hold of her husband's hand, holding her shirt closed with the other, and led him through the curious onlookers to the door, pushing straight past the security guard and starting to run as they reached the main concourse, getting lost in the crowds...

"OK, mister - you owe me a new shirt!"

Tom dropped one eyelid in a cheeky wink - "Only to happy to oblige, my love - my only condition is that you choose a shop that has a large changing room."

She swatted his chest - "You're too cheeky for your own good, Tom."

"Just as well you love me for it, isn't it! Come on, you must be tired, Sybil. Let me take you home, give you a foot massage and pour you a large glass of wine."

"Make that two, and you've got yourself a deal."

"Whatever you say, darling. Didn't I once promise you I'd devote every waking minute to your happiness?"

* * *

_A/N -_

Song credit - "Long Hot Summer" by the Style Council. Thanks to angiemagz for the awesome gif I used to accompany this fic on Tumblr and to the Yankee Countess for helping me brainstorm a couple of ideas for it.

I've written quite a few short/one-shot M-rated Sybil x Tom fics in the last few months on Tumblr, and a few people have kindly suggested I bring them together somewhere on ff. This story is the first chapter of that new collection, which I am calling "Tonight or Tomorrow" (again, thanks to the Yankee Countess for the idea for the title!). I plan to add my backset of fics to it from Tumblr gradually, to bring everything together. The stories in this collection will range over different themes and time periods, but the common thread will be that they all celebrate the sexiest couple on Downton Abbey. ;)

Couple of notes on the Sydney locations mentioned - David Jones is the largest department store in Sydney (it's a national chain), while the Queen Victoria Building is a beautifully restored building from the late nineteenth century, which has been turned into a large shopping centre in the middle of the city.

Thanks as always for your support of my writing! Would love to know what you think. :)


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note -_

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I really love to hear from you - it's so inspiring. :)

This M-rated S/T story came to me when I watched _The Sweeney_. While the movie itself was not great, one character in particular (played by Allen Leech) caught my eye and I immediately imagined Tom and Sybil in a sexy police!AU...

I am dedicating this story to my friend, the lovely and talented Yankee Countess. I am also, at last, fulfilling a couple of prompts, sent to me by Pointless Things and Mimijag some time ago - they both asked for Sybil x Tom "forced to share a bed", and Christine also asked for "handcuffed together". Hope you both enjoy this one, my friends, and sorry it took me so long!

* * *

**Blues and twos**

Detective Inspector Sybil Crawley took the lid off her cappuccino and leaned back in her chair – time to relax for five minutes before catching up on the paperwork for her last case.

"Excuse me, DI Crawley?"

She looked up, annoyed, to see a pair of blue eyes –

"What do you want?"

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am. I'm DS Tom Branson – just transferred in, they told me to come and find you."

His Irish accent and cheeky good looks seemed to make no impression at all on his new boss. She rolled her eyes –

"What the fuck is the Super thinking, assigning me a new team member without even asking me? OK, Branson, go and find a desk over there and stay put until I tell you."

"Even if I need to use the gents, ma'am?"

"Take a seat, Detective Sergeant! And don't ever call me 'ma'am' again – makes me sound like the Queen. It's 'guv' to you."

Tom slunk over to a desk in the corner, muttering something that Sybil thought might have been "Bossy cow" in passing. She looked over at DS Mason, who sat in the desk beside hers.

"Cheeky bastard! Who the hell is that guy?"

"Not sure, guv. Want me to do some digging for you?"

She sighed, sipping her coffee and reaching for a chocolate croissant from the box on his desk.

"No, it's all right, thanks Mason. I'm sure I will get to the bottom of it eventually, once Superintendent Hughes shows her face."

She was turning back to her paperwork, munching on the sweet pastry with a frown on her face, when the phone rang –

"DI Crawley – yes, guv, he's here. I was wondering..."

She stopped talking and listened to her boss in full flow – "An armed robbery in progress? Leave it to us, we're on it."

She looked over at DS Mason and the rest of her team –

"Right, there's a blag going down in the City of London – private bank, very hush hush, a bunch of lowlifes are robbing it right now, and we're going to clean up the mess. Mmmm – Mason, Barrow, Nugent, O'Brien – new guy, what's your name again?"

"Branson, DS Branson, ma'am."

Her eyes flashed fire at him – "I already told you, Branson, don't call me that!"

She stood up, grabbing her jacket from the back of the chair – "What are you waiting for, you lot – a written fucking invitation? Grab your vests and move it!"

The team raced out the door of the squad room and down to the garage, where they piled into a couple of vacant police cars. Sybil saw Tom take the driver's seat and jerked her thumb at him –

"Get out of there, I'm driving."

"Yes, ma'am... I mean, yes, guv."

He dropped the keys into her waiting hand and got into the back seat beside a guy with glossy black hair and a superior expression.

"Tom Branson, nice to meet you."

The other man looked at his extended hand as if it were a snake, then let out a snarky laugh – "What is this, a fucking mother's meeting?"

A tall redhead got in to take the last place in the car, slamming the door shut, and the men sat in silence as the cars tore out of the garage, Sybil's in the lead, sirens blaring and lights flashing.

They headed along the Embankment towards the City of London and, before long, they were pulling up outside a nondescript modern building with discreet signage in Arabic and English. Sybil pulled haphazardly into the curb and jumped out, looking around to assess the situation.

The front door of the building was opening, and she saw four men in black, wearing balaclavas and carrying guns and bags. Immediately, she dropped down behind the car, gesturing to the rest of the team to do the same.

"Get down!" she mouthed at them, before grabbing the microphone from the dashboard.

_"This is the Metropolitan Police, you are under arrest. Drop your weapons and get down on the ground, now!"_

Hearing her voice blaring out of the speakers on top of the car, the robbers clustered together in a group and opened fire.

_"I said – you are under arrest! Cease fire immediately and drop your weapons!"_

Sybil stood up, staying in the shelter of the car as much as she could, and brought out her gun, firing a well-aimed shot just past the shoulder of the man who seemed to be the ringleader. He turned to look at her, and their eyes met – she could tell she was face to face with a stone cold killer. The longer her team stayed there, the more danger they'd be in – _Time to break the deadlock..._

"Freeze, scumbags! You're under arrest!" she shouted as she ran out towards them, zigzagging her way behind cars and lampposts towards the gang, her team following closely behind her.

The robbers saw the number of police on their trail and started to run towards a large black van parked a block or so away – their getaway vehicle.

"Stop them! Don't let them get away!"

She turned to find DS Branson right beside her and the two of them ran along the footpath, keeping as close as they could to the shelter of the buildings, every once in a while ducking or changing course to avoid a bullet. The rest of the team was following a similar course on the other side of the road and together they were closing in on the gang –

"Drop it, copper, or you're dead."

Sybil was jerked off her feet as she felt someone grab her around the throat from behind – _Shit, one of them was hiding in that alleyway..._

She could feel something cold and hard being pressed into her back, and with a jolt she saw they had also caught her new DS in a similar chokehold. Both of them dropped their guns, holding up their hands.

They were lifted and thrown into the back of the van and, just before the double doors were slammed shut, one of the robbers leaned in to hit both of them on the head, knocking them out cold...

* * *

Sybil's head was throbbing when she came to and found that, for some reason, she couldn't move her right hand from above her head... _What the fuck?_

She opened her eyes to find herself lying on her side, barely able to see in the dim light from the one dirty window in the room. Her right arm was stretched above her head and her eyes widened when she saw why – her own handcuffs had been locked around her wrist and threaded around a heating duct sticking out of the wall above her head, keeping her tethered and unable to get off the mattress she was lying on. _Oh God, they're holding us hostage..._

She heard a muttered curse and realised that the other half of the handcuffs was attached to DS Branson. He rolled over to face her, and without warning his mouth crashed onto hers in a passionate kiss.

She responded immediately, pushing her tongue into his mouth and sliding her free hand around his body as he pulled her towards him. Grabbing, clawing at each other, their kiss deepened still further and she let out a moan...

When he finally pulled his lips from hers, he murmured –

"Mo ghile, are you all right?"

She nodded – "Yes, Tom, I think so – how about you?"

"Apart from that almighty whack on the head, yes." He tightened his arm around her waist again, drawing her into his body –

"God, Sybil, when I saw that man grab you, I was terrified!"

She looked down, then back up, meeting his eyes –

"I guess there's a reason they don't let married couples work on the same team! Oh darling, if anything had happened to you..."

He stopped her words with another kiss, their bodies moving together perfectly as they had done many times before. She snuggled more closely into him, feeling his hand slide up under her t-shirt to caress the smooth skin of her back, and felt her breath catch in her throat as the ever-present desire between them rose up, hotter than ever in spite of the terrifying situation they found themselves in.

Tom lifted up her top and Sybil shifted her position to give his mouth access to her body. He fell on her, ravishing her, and she found herself straining against him, trying to get as close as she could as his teeth nipped at the soft skin on the tops of her breasts before he pushed down the lace cups of her bra, finding her nipples and sucking them.

They both wanted more, so he managed to manoeuvre himself so he could undo his fly. She slipped her hand inside his trousers, finding his erect cock and running her fingers along his length, seeing his eyes roll back in his head at her touch.

"God, Sybil, that feels incredible..."

"Love, please, I need you, I need to feel you inside me now..."

She unzipped her dark jeans and pulled them free of her hips, and he helped her turn over so she was facing away from him, her tethered hand still above her head. He tugged her knickers down as he slid his cock into her from behind, his free hand moving around her waist and between her legs, stroking her swollen clit.

Sybil was melting with longing as Tom started to thrust, taking his time with her, murmuring in her ear and kissing the back of her neck. With his words and with his touch, he coaxed her out of that dingy room where they were imprisoned, helping her escape to their private world, a world where they could be free...

She pushed her ripe arse back against him as he drove into her, gradually increasing his pace. Control was almost beyond her now – he knew every inch of her so intimately, and in her heightened emotional state she was even readier than usual to respond to him. He could feel her tensing around him and knew how close she was, so he held back just a little, wanting to draw out her release for as long as he could...

"I love you so much, Sybil, lig tú féin dul, mo ghile..." he murmured in her ear, teasing her clit as his cock moved inside her in perfect rhythm with his fingers.

His beautiful Irish words pushed her over the edge and, despite the danger they were in, she found herself screaming his name as she came, over and over, her body convulsing around him and pushing him to his own orgasm as well.

His fingers stayed on her through the aftershocks, not leaving her until she was done. Then, she moved her body slightly to let him fall free of her, turning back around awkwardly to face him and finding his lips with hers, whispering her love to him between kisses, which he returned with interest...

Tom's hand was just finding Sybil's breasts again when they heard gunfire outside, and the lovers quickly did their best to return their clothing to some kind of order. Just in time – DS Mason burst through the door.

"Guv, Branson, you both OK?"

She called across the room to him – "Yes, Mason, get us the fuck out of here!"

Mason hurried across the room, fumbling with his keys – everyone on the team had the same handcuffs and he was able to free them pretty quickly. Sybil immediately rolled away from Tom, frowning as she sat up on the mattress which had so recently been the scene of their passion.

"I heard screaming, guv, and I thought you were hurt – if you hadn't called out, not sure how long it would have taken us to find you!"

DS O'Brien ran in and she and Mason helped Sybil and Tom to their feet. The Bransons dared to give each other a single, loving glance before the masks slipped back into place –

"Branson, you muppet, get out of my way! Christ, the crap I have to put up with in this job..."

Mason raised an eyebrow at O'Brien as Sybil raced out the door to find the rest of her team – "Nice to see the DI's straight back on form - hard as nails, she is."

Tom smiled to himself_ – If they only knew...  
_

* * *

_A/N -_

"Blues and twos" is a colloquial British term that refers to the vehicle equipment of combined flashing lights and sirens that the emergency services in the UK use when responding to an incident. The origin of the phrase comes from the fact the lights are usually blue and the traditional siren was a two-tone horn.

Irish translations, per Google translate -

"mo ghile" = my darling

"lig tú féin dul" = let yourself go


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note -_

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I really love to hear from you - it's so inspiring. :) Since ff was playing up for a day or so when I posted the previous chapter (a modern police!AU), you might want to go back and read that if you missed it.

This Sybil x Tom story fits into a Lady Sybil Lives S4 AU I have already written a few drabbles for on Tumblr, where the Bransons have moved to London with their daughter so that Sybil can pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, while Tom returns to journalism. It was written for gothamgirl28 for the S/T Valentine Exchange, and it was inspired by a blog post where she imagined our lovely couple playing a game of cards, with a sexy twist...

* * *

**Dealer's choice**

_Grantham House, summer 1923_

"This collar is choking me – you know I hate wearing this getup!"

Tom pulled at his tie, making a face, and Sybil smiled at him.

"It's only for one night. Matthew was kind enough to lend it to you, so it would have been a bit rude not to wear it, don't you think? Besides, you do look very handsome in it, darling!"

He returned her smile, lifting their linked hands to his lips and kissing her knuckles – "I'd do anything for you, Sybil, you know that, even wear the uniform of oppression once in a while if I have to."

A cheeky wink came his way – "Still my fiery socialist, aren't you, Tom! I'll make it worth your while later, I promise."

She smoothed his fringe back from his face and leaned in to brush his lips with hers. What was meant to be a quick kiss lasted longer than she expected once his hand came up to caress the back of her neck...

"You two, always canoodling in a corner! Come and talk to us, Sybil darling – we haven't seen you for so long. Why haven't you visited sooner? We've been here for nearly two weeks already."

Sybil got up, pulling Tom with her, and they walked across the drawing room. Watching them, the Dowager Countess opined to Cora –

"Don't they know it's bad form for a married couple to sit together like that all the time?"

The Bransons arrived by the fireplace, where Mary was holding court with Matthew by her side. The sisters kissed each other in greeting, while their husbands shook hands.

"Well, I am studying very hard right now, Mary – I had my exams last week, so I really haven't had time to come before..."

Tom looked at his wife with pride clearly written on his face. Her first year of medical studies had been a great success – in the top group in her class for every exam and assessment so far, she was loving every minute of her training.

"Well, at least you're finally here tonight! How is Aislín?"

Sybil accepted a glass of champagne from Thomas as she and Mary started to talk about their children.

Matthew addressed Tom – "I must say, you are both looking very well! London life must really suit you."

"Honestly, Matthew, we couldn't be happier. It was kind of the Crawleys to take us in for a couple of years while we got back on our feet, but this is the life we want, the live we love."

"I hear you've been making quite a stir in political circles lately. I've read a few of your articles myself actually, and I do think you're making some good points about the need for reform."

"I hope you didn't tell Robert – he'd have a fit if he saw you with a copy of the _Chronicle_!"

The friends shared a smile. They had both had to learn to deal with the Earl of Grantham and his 19th century views in their own way since they had "taken on Crawley girls", in Matthew's phrase, and it was fair to say that Tom's way had always been more confrontational than his brother-in-law's more circumspect style.

"I've been wondering whether you'd stay in London, now that the Civil War is over. Perhaps you could go back to Dublin, at last?"

"We want to, very much. Sybil will finish her studies here first and, once she qualifies in a few years, we'll move back home for good. It will be easier for her to practice there anyway – Irish hospitals are apparently more accepting of women doctors than the ones here..."

Their quiet talk was interrupted by Sybil's cousin Rose, who came bouncing over to join them, bubbling over with the excitement of her first Season.

"Come on, everyone – we're starting the card game! Oh, isn't it fun!"

"What are we playing tonight? Poker?"

Tom's face was all innocence, and no-one else knew why Sybil started blushing...

* * *

_Tom and Sybil's flat, the previous evening_

"Give me two, please."

Tom dealt Sybil her cards, taking one for himself. He suppressed a satisfied smile, not wanting to give his wife any clues to what he was holding.

"I'm in – how about you?"

"Yes, count me in too. I've got you this time, Tom – no doubt about it."

Her overly confident face told him, knowing her so well, that she was most likely bluffing.

"You can't fool me, darling. So, what have you got?"

She laid out her cards one by one – "A pair of kings."

He didn't say anything – he just showed his hand, which contained three sevens.

"I can't believe it – you won again!"

"What are you going to take off this time, Mrs Branson?"

At this stage of the evening, their shoes, socks and stockings already lay in a heap on the floor alongside their discarded shirts. Tom fully expected Sybil to remove her skirt next, but instead she reached behind her back and unhooked her brassiere, leaving herself naked from the waist, just as he was.

His eyes widened as she pretended he wasn't looking at her and lifted her arms above her head – "Oh, my shoulders are so stiff!" Her full, firm breasts lifted too as she stretched, and he couldn't help noticing her nipples were already hard peaks, which left him longing to touch them with his tongue...

She grinned boldly as she saw him shifting in his seat, knowing his trousers had suddenly become too tight.

"Sybil, come on, that's not fair!"

"Don't you believe in equality between the sexes, Tom? If you can sit there topless, surely I can too. Now come on, let's play."

Despite the distraction of his half-naked wife across the table, he manage to maintain enough concentration to win the next hand as well, easily beating her two pairs with a queen-high straight.

"I guess I'm just really lucky tonight, love!"

He gave her a lazy smile and watched as she got out of her chair to unbutton her skirt, leaning down to put it on the floor. She knew his eyes were riveted on her, and as she stood up again she did a quick twirl. Then, she pushed out a hip and looked back at him over her shoulder, giving him a perfect view of her shapely arse clad only in a pair of short, silky knickers.

It was Tom's turn to deal again but this time he gave himself a useless hand – not even a pair – and Sybil couldn't contain her glee when she picked up the cards she had asked for. He tried to bluff his way out of trouble, but it was no use – she could read him as easily as he could her, and she crowed with delight as she beat him soundly, revealing a full house. Once he had removed his trousers, both of them only had one item of clothing left...

"Last hand – and you know what happens to the person who loses this one, don't you?"

She reached for the cards, shuffling them expertly – "I don't need to worry about that, Tom – I'm going to be watching you lose in about three minutes."

This time, her confidence was misplaced – his hand wasn't very good, but his pair of eights was enough to beat her pair of fours.

"Branson house rules apply, Sybil..."

Sybil stood up and slid her fingers under the waistband of her knickers, teasing him as she slid them slowly down her thighs, pulling them off and twirling them on one finger before throwing them on the floor. Naked now, she stood before him, totally unselfconscious. After five years of marriage, she had total confidence in herself and her body, sure of just how much Tom adored the way she looked.

She walked round the table, swinging her hips a little, and dropped to her knees in front of him. He drew in his breath sharply as he anticipated what was about to happen. Their eyes locked as she slid her hands slowly up his thighs, reaching for his cock, which was already fully erect, and pulling it free of his underwear. She ran her hand slowly up and down his length, still staring at him.

Moving between his legs, Sybil ran her tongue along his shaft, tasting him and stopping to tease a spot just below the head that she knew he loved her to touch. Then, she opened her full lips and pushed her head down on him to draw him into her mouth. The sight of her like that almost brought Tom to orgasm immediately, and he held on as best he could as she started to move, one hand easing down into his drawers to cup and caress his balls.

Using her tongue to stroke him each time she dipped her head up and down, she took him deeper and deeper into her mouth. A low hum at the back of her throat sent tendrils of pleasure racing along every nerve in his body as, lying back in his chair, he surrendered himself to her utterly. Sensing how close he was to release, she pulled back a little, keeping just the tip of him between her lips...

"Do you want more?" she murmured.

"Oh, don't stop, darling, I'm begging you..."

She welcomed him back into her mouth, all the way this time, and it only took a few more thrusts until he felt himself losing control, shouting her name as he came.

She swallowed and stayed with him for a few more minutes before lifting her head, letting his cock fall from her mouth with a last kiss on the tip. Wiping her lips with one hand, she looked up at him and their eyes met.

"Sybil, feck, that was amazing."

"Shhh, my love – you'll wake Aislín."

Without another word, she took his hand, pulling him down onto the hearthrug with her and rolling on top of him. For Sybil and Tom, the night had only just begun...

* * *

"Anything wrong, Sybil?" Edith had just joined their group and she looked with concern at her sister's flushed cheeks.

"No, I'm fine, thank you Edith – it's rather warm in here, that's all."

Sybil felt her husband's eyes on her and glanced down, knowing that if she looked at him she was likely to blush again, even more deeply. After five years of marriage, he could still make her feel like a breathless teenager in love for the first time with a look, a touch, a smile...

All evening, even while she had been chatting to her family, what had happened the night before at their flat ran through her mind on an endless loop. She couldn't stop thinking about the way Tom had taken possession of her, body and soul, until the early hours of the morning. Even for them, with their passionate sex life, it had been an astonishing night of lovemaking, and she sighed as she remembered his hair falling in his face, his hand trailing up her thigh, his lips on her breast, his voice murmuring to her in Irish, his body moving over hers like a restless sea as he drove into her, again and again, so hard that when they finally stood up to go to bed just before dawn, she had realised she had a carpet burn on her back...

"Come on, let's go – they're all ready for us." Mary led the way down the corridor to the library, where tables had been set out for the evening's entertainment. The Bransons, hand in hand, brought up the rear of the party.

Sybil felt Tom pull her back and stopped to look at him, biting her lip as she finally met her husband's gaze. Their eyes locked as they fell behind the rest of the family, stealing a couple of moments alone. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, kissing her deeply before whispering in her ear –

"I know what's on your mind, Sybil – it's all I can think about too. Let's go and join the others for a while before I take you home - and, if you want to win the game tonight, I suggest this time you bet on me."

* * *

_A/N -_

Many thanks to Yankee Countess for organising the S/T Valentine Exchange on Tumblr and brainstorming some ideas for this fic with me.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note -_

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I really love to hear from you - it's so inspiring. :)

Here's a new ficlet, inspired by a beautiful manip which was made for me by angiemagz, based on an image from Winter's Tale. It illustrated the post for this story on Tumblr if you'd like to see it.

This is a missing scene from the end of s2 before the CS, set early in Tom and Sybil's marriage, which belongs in my Erin go Bragh! AU. Since that collection is T-rated, I'm posting it here... ;)

* * *

**I sing the body electric**

_Dublin, 1919_

"Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,  
Onward, the sailors cry;  
Carry the lad who's born to be King  
Over the sea to Skye..."

Tom heard a husky voice drifting from their bedroom one evening and he followed the sound as if it were a siren song...

Sybil was naked, singing to herself as she sat before the mirror on a low stool and brushed her hair. He stayed silent in the doorway, watching her, breathless at her beauty. The next minute, he was kneeling behind her, nuzzling her neck and sliding his hands around her body to caress her breasts.

"You're late..."

She didn't finish her sentence as he spun her around to kiss her.

"Ah God, you're lovely..." he murmured, smoothing a strand of hair back from her face.

He pushed her knees apart and moved between her legs. Body flush against hers, he stared into her eyes as he ran his hands slowly down her back and let them settle at her waist, pulling her to him. Their mouths met and he kissed her again, more deeply this time, his tongue finding hers as he felt her arms around his neck. He felt himself slipping into another world, a world of the senses he had discovered with her since their marriage – a world of silken skin and hair, full lips and breasts, warm, soft, utterly intoxicating...

Travelling the line of her throat, his mouth lingered in the hollow between her collarbones before moving on. He kissed her nipples and felt them rise up at his touch as his fingers ran down the curve of her hips and along her thighs to her core –

"Sybil, God you're so wet already..."

Her sigh was deep as he laid her down on the floor of their room. He leaned up on one elbow beside her and his hand traced the path of a stream of silver moonlight which found her there. Following his hand with his lips, he kissed her breasts and stomach before putting his mouth on her core and sliding two fingers inside her. As he started to stroke her clit with his tongue, he heard her moan –

"Oh darling, yes..."

He knew her so intimately by now, knew exactly how to touch her to take her higher and higher, teasing her endlessly, pushing her to the limit. It did not take long for her breathing to become shallow, her hands tangling in his hair as he led her right to the edge and held her there. Then, when she could not hold on any more, he let her fly to the wheeling stars above, her hips bucking off the floor, her body convulsing against his mouth –

"TOM!"

Time seemed to stand still as she came, over and over again, screaming his name. He kept his mouth on her, stroking her, tasting her juices before moving back up her body. Kissing her closed eyes, tasting the tears on the lids, he wrapped his arms around her, breathing her in.

Her eyes opened slowly to meet his, but she didn't speak. Instead, her hands grasped the edge of his t-shirt, pulling it off over his head and moving her fingers down to stroke his taut abs, scratching them gently with her nails. She continued beneath his waistband to find his erect cock and her hand ran along the length of him.

"Come inside me, love. I want you inside me..."

She rolled on top, lifting his cock out of his pajamas and placing herself over him, holding her position just for a minute before pushing herself down. He felt her tight, slick core caress him as she rested her arms on either side of him, leaning down at first so that he could lift his head to kiss her breasts as they rocked back and forth together.

Moving faster now, she rose straight up above him like Venus from the waves. Closing her eyes, she bit her lip as she ground her hips into his, intent on the escalating pleasure she had learned to create with him. Her long waves of hair rippled down her body as her head fell backwards and she raised her arms towards the ceiling, reaching for the release that was now within her grasp.

Feeling himself about to come, he maintained control for a few moments longer, wanting her to get there first. His fingers moved to find her clit, still swollen from his earlier attentions, and it only took a few more caresses before she broke apart, falling down on top of him, convulsing around him and bringing him to orgasm as well.

"Oh Christ, Sybil!"

Their hearts were still racing as she moved down next to him, letting him fall from her body. He rose to his feet and bent to pick her up and carry her to their bed, kicking off his pajamas on the way.

Once there, they snuggled into each other, skin on skin, legs tangled together, trying to get closer, always closer. They both knew they would make love again at least once more than night, but what mattered most to them now was kissing, whispering, caressing, sharing the deep love and intimacy which grew stronger between them every day...

* * *

_Author's note_

The title of the story comes from the beautiful Walt Whitman poem of the same name - I like to imagine that, with her American heritage, Sybil has a copy of _Leaves of Grass_ on her bookshelves.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note -_

Thank you so much to everyone who has read/followed/reviewed/favourited this collection so far! I really love to hear from you - it's so inspiring. :)

Happy (late) St Patrick's Day, S/T fandom! Dedicating this fic to two great friends - Yankee Countess and foojules - to thank them for their help and support recently, and for their wonderful writing which I love to read.

* * *

**Lose control  
**

The heat is almost liquid as Sybil and Gwen walk into the Shepherd's Bush Empire for a Muse gig, tying their jackets around their waists. Music is already writhing through the room, lifting the crowd out of their everyday world, making them move as one as they celebrate St Patrick's Day and wait for the band to come on stage.

Sybil goes to the bar. The guy next to her looks at her and doesn't look away, his dirty blond hair falling into his blue eyes. There's an instant spark between them, the kind of spark you can't fake, can't hide from, one that comes from the level of their cells.

"Two bottles of Carlsberg, please."

"Coming right up."

She turns away, pretending not to notice him as she picks up the drinks, but she can still feel him looking at her and a rush of heat rises up her face. Half turning towards him, she does the "down-up-down" thing with her eyes, meeting his gaze for a fleeting moment that is more than long enough, before she turns away and walks back to Gwen.

"What took you so long?

"It's mad over by the bar. Come on, let's go down the front - they're coming on."

For the next hour or so, Sybil loses herself in the music while Matt Bellamy struts his stuff. She's jumping, dancing and singing with everyone else, sweat dripping down her back, her long braid falling apart, a huge smile on her face...

_"Hold you in my arms_  
_ I just wanted to hold you in my arms..."_

"I'll be back soon!" she screams in Gwen's ear, pointing towards the back of the room. Gwen nods and turns her attention back to the band.

Sybil heads towards the back door of the auditorium in search of the bathroom. There's a queue and it takes her a while before she is on her way back inside. She pushes the main auditorium door inwards and it comes flying back at her - _What the fuck? _A man slams through it, almost barrelling straight into her, holding his hand to his forehead and apparently cursing a blue streak, although she can't understand what he's saying.

Their eyes meet and she let out a gasp_ - It's the same guy!_ She bites her lip as he sees her, tension rippling between them...

"Are you OK?"

"Sure, I'm fine, don't think I'm bleeding anyway."

"God, I'm so sorry - didn't mean to knock you over."

He didn't miss a beat. "Bit late for that - you blew me away the minute I saw you."

_"It's bugging me, grating me_  
_ And twisting me around_  
_ Yeah I'm endlessly caving in_  
_ And turning inside out..."_

Time slows down as their eyes lock and she can barely hear the next song's driving bassline over the pounding of her blood in her ears. He touches her cheek, then moves his hand around to cup the back of her head, his stubble scraping her chin as he pulls her mouth to his.

Eyes closed, hearts racing. Their mouths are ardent, seeking to possess and to be possessed, his tongue tasting like whiskey as it slides along hers. His lips are warm and firm as he kisses her, a hot, grabby kiss, the kind of kiss she has dreamed about but never experienced before. _Kissing him matters more than breathing right now_...

He's pushing her backwards, into the dimly lit stairwell by the door. He lifts one of her hands above her head and holds it against the wall while his other hand roams down her body, from her jaw, to her collarbone, ghosting down the side of her breast, leaving a fiery trail on her skin wherever he touches her.

His knuckles graze the rough paintwork on the wall behind her as he reaches her waist and wraps his arm around her, her jacket falling unheeded to the floor. Tracing his muscles through his worn Nirvana T-shirt, her fingers slide up his arm and shoulder and behind his neck, deepening their kiss even more as she pulls him down to her.

_"Cause I want it now, I want it now_  
_ Give me your heart and your soul_  
_ And I'm breaking out, I'm breaking out_  
_ Last chance to lose control..."_

He tears his mouth from hers, still holding her tightly, starting into her eyes.

"Christ, you're gorgeous."

It's almost a whisper and Sybil can hardly hear him, but it doesn't matter. She reaches up to him and they kiss again, even more fiercely, her hands sliding under his t-shirt, digging her nails into his back.

He breaks their kiss to pull the straps of her top off her shoulders, and she's glad she's naked underneath it, wanting even more of his touch. A moan escapes her as he kisses her throat, his mouth hot on her skin before moving down to find her breast. She can feel his knee pushing her upwards, lifting her up off the floor, and she hooks one leg up and around his hip, trying to get closer to him. _I don't even know his name, but I want him to..._

She murmurs into his ear and he lifts his head to look at her, a smile curving the corner of his mouth as she answers his unspoken question with a nod. He hitches her skirt up her thighs, pushing her knickers aside. His fingers find her core, slick and tight, and slide inside her, one finger first, then another as his thumb teases her clit and his other hand slides around to grab her arse.

A wave of sensation floods through her and she can barely believe how fast her pleasure rises. Her body is humming, sparks flying along every nerve as he strokes her, murmuring in her ear, telling her how beautiful she is, how much he wants her...

_"Ooh, you set my soul alight_  
_ Ooh, you set my soul alight..."_

He finds something in his back pocket and rolls it onto his erect cock which is already rubbing against her thigh. Shifting his position slightly, he pushes into her and lets out a groan as he fills her completely. She urges him on as he drives into her, harder each time, rubbing against her clit as he moves. Her body seems to melt around the edges and blend with his. _More, faster, deeper, oh my God..._

Every touch on and in her body is beyond amazing, almost unbearable in its intensity. His face is buried in her neck and she can feel his mouth on her skin, sucking and biting her. She is helpless now, lost in the moment as she clings to him with everything she has. She feels the bricks against her naked back as they move together perfectly towards a peak she has never even imagined.

When she comes, it's like an avalanche - all consuming, unstoppable as she breaks apart again and again in his arms. He pushes her into the wall hard as he reaches his own orgasm, and his lips blindly move to find hers again. She can feel a tear falling down her cheek as the ripples gradually fade, her body still wrapped around his...

He lets her down and helps her rearrange her clothes. Somehow, his fingers on her shoulder as he gently pulls up the straps of her top feels like the most intimate touch they have shared so far. He puts his hand to her face, just as he did when it began, and their eyes meet as he pushes her tousled hair back from her cheek.

"That was so... you are the most amazing..." He fumbles to find the words.

She nods, smiling at him and reaching up to kiss him again._  
_

"I know - me too. Want to get out of here?"

He smiles - "Let's go..."

Taking her hand, he leads her outside and they break into a run as they hit the cold street in search of a cab...

_"I'll never let you go_  
_ If you promise not to fade away, never fade away..."_

* * *

**Two months later  
**

"Sybil, darling, how lovely to see you! And this is..."

"It's my boyfriend Tom, Mama - I told you about him."

"Tom, ah yes, how delightful to meet you. How did you and Sybil meet?"

"I took her to a concert on our first date, Lady Grantham."

As her mother turns away for a moment to order her lunch, Sybil giggles and whispers in Tom's ear.

"Thank you for not giving her a heart attack by telling her you took me _at_ a concert before we even had our first date!"

He looks at her, lifting her hand to his mouth behind his menu and pressing a kiss into her palm. There's a promise in his eyes that she knows will be redeemed later that day, in full measure, and a shiver of pure joy runs all through her at the thought... _I never expected to fall so hard for him, I can never, never get enough...  
_

* * *

_Author's note_

The Muse song lyrics quoted (and which also gave the story its title) are from "Starlight", "Hysteria" (which has one of the best and sexiest basslines ever - very inspirational for this story!) and "Supermassive Black Hole".


End file.
